can the fitbit start tracking sugar?

[brbenedi]

sugar is garbage for us all, can fitbit start tracking this toxic garbage?

[Dominique]

The question was asked recently, and the answer was that tracking sugar is supported in Fitbit Premium. However, Fitbit Premium is being discontinued and will merge into Fitbit Coach, which will be available next month. I’ll assume Fitbit Coach will support tracking of sugar.

As to the alleged toxicity of sugar, I’d like to quote the bit on "Death by Sugar" included in Chapter 9: "Myths, Fads and Fallacies in Nutrition and Health" of a book I mentioned yesterday, Understanding Healthy Eating:

Death by Sugar
If you watch a lot of TV news or scroll through your Facebook feed for even a short time, you are likely to see an article or video about how bad sugar really is. And if you believe the hype, it’s terrible! Apparently sugar causes nearly every health problem we can have, and on top of that, some have claimed it’s as addicting as cocaine, too! While sugar may be quite addicting, it’s hardly the health culprit it’s made out to be. Sugar CAN BE bad, but not by itself. For sugar to exact a notable health effect, it would have to be consumed in excess amounts which lead to higher calorie consumptions. By that pathway, fat gain can be caused and poor health is sure to follow. And the reality is that yes, it’s very easy to over eat on sugary foods (because they are both very tasty and not as filling as low-sugar foods).

However, if you watch your calories and make sure to get in most of your foods from healthy sources, there’s nothing per se that makes sugar bad for nondiabetic populations (if you are diabetic, you can still eat sugar but need to consult with your medical professionals on proper procedures). Earlier we
learned that even water can be bad in excessive amounts. Sugar is no different, but much like water, sugar doesn’t need to be vilified.

If you or someone you know does have a problem with too much sugar causing big calorie totals, reduction of sugar and/or replacement with artificial sweeteners (which have no calories and are thus perfect for this role) can be very good ideas. But remember, it’s not that sugar is toxic or anything like that... it’s just that too much of it can lead to too many unnecessary calories.

And I’ll also include "Sugar: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly", a video made by one of the co-authors of the book.